Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson accused of sexual assault in new lawsuit
Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson has been sued again, this time by a woman in Texas who says he sexually assaulted her in October 2020 after he requested a massage from her at her apartment.
It marks the 27th lawsuit against him by women who have described a similar pattern of sexual misconduct arising out of massage requests. Of the 26 previous cases, 23 were settled out of court in 2022. The other remaining three include one that was filed in October 2022 and is still pending, one that was withdrawn shortly after it was filed in March 2021 and another that is pending but dormant.
The new case was filed Monday by “Jane Doe,” a single mother who said the incident happened on a first date at her apartment in Harris County, Texas, in October 2020.
What does the new lawsuit against Deshaun Watson say?
After inviting him in, her lawsuit said she went in the bathroom to finish putting on makeup. Then when she came out of the bathroom, her lawsuit said she found Watson naked on her bed, lying face-down on his stomach.
PLAY TO WIN $5K: USA TODAY's Pro Football Survivor Pool is free to enter. Sign up now!
“While Jane Doe stood there in shock, Watson turned his head and aggressively insisted that she massage him, gesturing to his buttocks,” states the new lawsuit obtained by USA TODAY Sports.
Saying she was terrified because she was in her apartment with a much larger man, she said she tried to appease him by rubbing his back. Her lawsuit states Watson then turned over, revealing an erection, this time demanding she massage him from his knees to his groin.
“Confused and scared, she reiterated to Watson that she wasn’t a masseuse,” the lawsuit stated. “Watson asked her what she wanted to do instead. Before Jane Doe could answer, Watson grabbed Jane Doe’s leg and positioned her so that she was laying down. Watson then partially disrobed Jane Doe and penetrated her vagina without consent, implicit or explicit. Jane Doe felt paralyzed, unsure if she should risk her safety by trying to stop Watson or endure his assault.”
Why is this new lawsuit being filed now?
Watson’s attorney, Rusty Hardin, wasn’t immediately available for comment.It's not clear if the woman contacted police, but her lawsuit states why she was hesitant to do so. It also explains why this lawsuit is being filed now. There is a five-year statute of limitations for her claims.
Her lawsuit states she was in shock from the encounter, knew who Watson was and was worried if she reported the incident that she would be subjected to personal attacks and humiliation. After other women came forward with public lawsuits in March 2021, her suit states she was encouraged but then saw how they were treated by Watson’s defense team and the public.
“And, worse, criminal authorities refused to hold Watson accountable for his reprehensible conduct,” her suit states. “Jane Doe waited. When she finally garnered the courage to come forward, she first attempted to resolve these issues with Watson without the filing of a public lawsuit. Those efforts failed.”
The NFL declined comment
Watson, 28, never was arrested or charged with a crime for these cases. Hardin previously said Watson sometimes had consensual sexual encounters during massage sessions but denied wrongdoing. The NFL did its own investigation and ultimately suspended him 11 games in 2022. It’s not clear if this new lawsuit could lead to any new discipline since the alleged incident happened before his suspension.
Of the 27 lawsuits, 25 describe incidents that took place in 2020, when Watson was playing for the Houston Texans. The other two describe incidents that took place in early 2021.
The NFL declined comment on the new civil case.
Of the 26 previous cases, only two formally accused him of sexual assault. The others describe other forms of sexual misconduct such as forced touching.
The new case was filed by Houston attorney Tony Buzbee, who has represented all but one of the women who have filed lawsuits in Harris County, Texas.
“This is an extremely serious matter,” Buzbee said in a statement to USA TODAY Sports. “We intend to pursue this case with the same aggressiveness with which we pursued the others. We want a jury trial. As far as any specific comments on the facts of the case, we believe the lawsuit speaks for itself.”
Follow reporter Brent Schrotenboer @Schrotenboer. Email: [email protected]
